Sawt Falasteen - Peaches from Japan's Fukushima region sold at Harrods

A box of three large, juicy white peaches costs 80 pounds ($100) -- the first time the fruit is available at a shop in Europe, after sales at temporary events.

Before the 2011 atomic meltdown, Fukushima prided itself as a "fruit kingdom", famous in Japan for its delicious offerings, including peaches, grapes, pears and cherries.

But after an earthquake-triggered tsunami unleashed the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl, consumers feared eating them could harm their health and sales plunged.

Although the areas surrounding the stricken Fukushima Daiichi power station were evacuated over radiation fears, farms in the rest of the region were not contaminated.

And before being sent to stores, all farm and fishery products from the northeastern Japanese prefecture now undergoes strict radiation inspection.

Harrods began selling the peaches on Saturday, part of a reputation-building initiative by Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the operator of the Fukushima plant.

The company has previously staged campaigns in the United States, Thailand and other major economies to promote rice, farm products and seafood from Fukushima.

"The primary purpose of those activities is to erase fears in foreign markets of Fukushima produce," a TEPCO spokesman told AFP on Tuesday.

An association of Fukushima residents in London hailed the news as a "major step forward" in a Facebook post.

"Many people asked us at Japan festivals, 'where can we buy these?'" it said.

"Please enjoy the taste of these peaches that Fukushima proudly presents to the rest of the world."

J.AbuShaban--SF-PST